I can do ‘better’ all by myself…

I’m not sure if many of you remember the blog entry, “Lights. Camera. No Action.” The entry written three months ago captured Jason Jr.’s first studio portraits. The entry was also featured in the print edition of the Express-News. It included a picture of me and my husband smiling as though we’d won the lottery. And Jason Jr. was in the photo as well. But instead, he looked as though someone had run off with his winning lottery ticket.

But that was in year 2009. This is year 2010. Through rants of baby babbling, I translated, “da-da-da-da” to mean, “Out with the old and in with the new.”

To keep Jason Jr. on track with his New Year’s resolutions, my husband and I vowed to have his pictures taken in January. After making stops at portrait studios throughout San Antonio we chose the studio in Wal-Mart. There was something about a $4.99 deal that I just couldn’t pass up. Call me cheap, but I’m a mother on a budget.

When we got there Jason Jr. was cranky. Having slept on the way there, he didn’t appreciate waking up to a photographer in his face. But after a few shouts and cries, he pulled it together. He went from “lights, camera, and no action” to “Have my personal assistant book my next shoot after my evening Similac feeding.”

It was a joy to watch. Even after the photographer walked away, Jason Jr. kicked and laughed at the camera.

“It’s over JJ. It’s time to go now,” I had to tell him.

Looking back, I am now under the impression that Jason Jr. wanted the camera all to himself. He didn’t want to share the light with me and my husband. After all, we did have him stuck in the middle. With us out the way, he was able to take over. And he did.